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Cyvatar Launches All-in-One Cybersecurity-as-a-Service to Disrupt the Industry with $3 Million Seed Round

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced that it has raised $3 million in seed funding from Bill Wood Ventures to launch its all-in-one cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) offering. The company will use the capital to disrupt the $130 billion cybersecurity industry with guaranteed business results, to speed customer adoption of subscription-based security services, and to fuel the development of its outcomes-driven solution, Genesis Platform. Cyvatar Co-Founders Corey White , former chief experience officer at Cylance, and Craig Goodwin , former chief trust and risk officer at Fujitsu, formed the company to combat decades of wasteful spending in the industry—waste generated by an overabundance of point products that do not integrate quickly or easily into most security environments and too much noise from security vendors whose genuine differentiation can be difficult to determine. There are also staffing shortages exacerbated by a prolonged skills gap. Cyvatar leads a fundamental shift in the market, offering holistic, tailored security solutions rooted in best-of-breed technologies from across the industry. “It’s no secret that CISOs and their teams are the losers in today’s cyber arms race,” said investor Bill Wood. “In fact, most organizations use less than half of the functionality in the technology solutions they own. Cyvatar has developed a winning CSaaS model by combining customer-centric strategies with skilled security experts and market-leading technologies to deliver guaranteed business outcomes.” The Cyvatar approach is rooted in proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers smarter, measurable security solutions and enables small and medium-size businesses to achieve security compliance and cyber-attack protection faster and more efficiently. And in the crowded and noisy security space—where more than 4,500 security solutions are currently available—the need for organizations to show value from their security stacks is a top priority. “As a longtime builder of successful security programs, I understand the difficulty many organizations face trying to get all the tools in their security stack to work together effectively and provide sufficient risk controls,” said Al Valerio, head of IT and cybersecurity at Virtualitics. “Cyvatar’s all-in-one offering gave us a comprehensive security framework—not just a few pieces—enabling us to remediate vulnerabilities in record time, achieve synergy among all of our security tools, maintain compliance standards required by our government customers, and reduce user friction. If it weren’t for Cyvatar’s vision and execution, completing our mission quickly and within budget would have been impossible.” The company’s strategy includes a robust partner network to bring bespoke solutions to customers who are not large enough to invest in in-house security teams, do not have the runway to experiment with multiple security tools as they scale, or cannot compete against larger firms for the scarce number of skilled resources available. Cyvatar’s partner ecosystem spans nearly two dozen companies. “We believe in the democratization of cybersecurity,” said Cyvatar Founders Corey White and Craig Goodwin . “Protection from threats and breaches should not be accessible only to organizations with deep pockets and dedicated security personnel, and it shouldn’t be delivered in a shrouded black-box approach understood only by the vendor. We’re on a mission to demystify cyber defense by offering an all-in-one subscription-based service that provides organizations of any size the ability to achieve measurable security outcomes that drive quicker time-to-value without sacrificing their security postures or compliance standards.” Whether customers need to meet intricate compliance requirements in order to grow their sales pipelines, to remediate after a breach, to prevent future incursions, or to respond to a third-party risk assessment, Cyvatar helps them achieve outcomes quickly, without the noise, complexity, or hurdles in traditional security approaches. What security challenges are you trying to solve? What barriers do you face? Visit https://start.cyvatar.ai/ to explore the ways Cyvatar can help. About Cyvatar Cyvatar.ai is a transformative cybersecurity company that operates at the intersection of our customers and technology to define what a cybersecurity solution should be: guaranteed business outcomes that are measurable. We break down barriers to create positive experiences for passionate companies globally. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California. Learn more at https://cyvatar.ai and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter . About Bill Wood Ventures Based in Austin, Texas, Bill Wood is one of the most experienced venture capitalists in Texas. His track record spans over three decades and parallels the emergence of Austin as one of the world's strongest technology-driven economies. He has provided start-up financing, board-level guidance and mentoring to dozens of start-ups, several of which have sustained multibillion dollar market capitalizations. Bill is a past recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur-of-the-Year award. He was also the winner of the Austin Technology Summit's "Pillar of the Community" award, recognizing his lifetime contribution to the community. Finally, he was the inaugural inductee into the Austin Technology Hall of Fame. Contact Details Aileen Casmano +1 323-300-4927 aileen@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

October 06, 2020 08:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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UK SMEs lose £2.2bn as customers fall into administration during lockdown

Stockwood Strategy

SMEs across the UK are counting the cost of the lockdown as they prepare for a testing final quarter of 2020. Risktech business Nimbla , surveyed* 2,000 UK SMEs and found that £2.2bn in revenue (for goods and services provided during lockdown) has been lost because those customers fell into administration. A number that is set to increase dramatically over the course of the next year. More than a third (38%) of SMEs are still waiting to be paid an average of £59,013, for work they completed before the lockdown. Worryingly, a fifth (21%) of these companies believe they will never recover the full amount, losing on average £24,903 because those customers have gone into administration. Looking at the bigger picture, this is worth £2.2bn in revenue across all SMEs (with outstanding payments) that will not be realised. Lost time and revenue Businesses reported, on average, 6 invoices go unpaid every year with half of these worth £41,193 written off due to their customers becoming insolvent. Yet, surprisingly, only 4% of business owners take out trade credit or invoice insurance, which protects the supplier against their customers’ insolvency. Business owners do spend time thinking about a potential insolvency event with their customers. In the event that happened, most of them (83%) would continue trading but the impact on cash flow would lead to changes in asking customers for deposits, requesting shorter payment terms, declining larger projects and fear their credit scores falling. Business owners spend, on average, two weeks chasing an invoice payment which eventually was never paid because the customer became insolvent. Flemming Bengtsen, CEO at Nimbla commented: “The impact the lockdown has had on SMEs, who are the heart and soul of the UK economy, is astonishing. Many have survived several attacks during the pandemic and, now, knowing they won’t get paid for the work they did is another huge body blow. There could be more bad news on the horizon for smaller businesses as high street chains face difficulties and potential insolvencies.” Looking ahead Businesses anticipate making, on average, £263,000 revenue between now and the end of the year. However, as customers seek longer payment terms from 30 to 60 days to settle invoices, three in five (60%) business owners are nervous about not getting paid at all with expectations that one in six customers will become insolvent before the end of the year. This is a major issue as more than a third (36%) of businesses were heavily concentrated, reporting that more than two-thirds of their revenues came from a handful of customers. Overall, business owners reported 61% of their customers said they were doing well in terms of their revenue, going steady with sales and generally content with the business environment. Yet, business owners were sceptical about their buoyant spirit, with only a quarter (26%) believing what they say. Flemming Bengtsen added: “The current uncertain economic environment means doing business isn’t easy, it’s made all the more difficult with SMEs anxious about getting paid. Trading on trust and confidence has deteriorated. It is time, as a collective, to bring this back. Business owners cannot afford to bury their heads in the sand; they should protect themselves and insure against the potential insolvency of their customers.” ENDS Notes to the Editor *Research findings based on a survey of 2,000 UK companies (who are employers with a minimum turnover of £250,000) conducted for Nimbla in September 2020 by LM Research & Marketing Consultancy (Market Research Society approved partner and ESOMAR corporate member). About Nimbla Nimbla makes sure businesses get paid for their hard work, even if a customer becomes insolvent. Founded in 2016, the risktech company is on a mission to give SMEs the confidence to trade with a peace of mind using invoice insurance. Nimbla’s digital insurance platform backed by expert risk analysts, allows businesses to check a buyer’s ability to pay and insure individual invoices against non-payment in a fast and affordable way. This will enable business owners to safeguard against insolvent customers, expand into new and existing markets and secure better borrowing terms. The platform can be accessed directly ( www.nimbla.com ) and through partnerships with Barclays and Starling Bank. Based in London, Nimbla aims to bring the trade credit industry into the 21st century. Challenging traditional insurance models, the cover is flexible and adapts to fit your business — whether it’s a one-off invoice or multiple transactions. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 bilal.mahmood@nimbla.com Company Website https://www.nimbla.com/

October 06, 2020 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Construction industry rallies in rebuilding Britain, finds Skrap survey

Stockwood Strategy

The construction industry is rallying from the aftermath of the lockdown as builders report steady workflow and recovering revenues, finds a survey* of 2,000 UK construction companies by Skrap , the on-demand construction hire specialist . Almost half of construction businesses (44%) reported that workflow has reached pre-lockdown levels. The bounce is such that almost a quarter (23%) of businesses felt they would hit at least 2019 revenue levels and possibly see a 20% increase. This is despite nearly two-thirds (63%) of businesses still waiting to be paid, on average, £47,784 for work they did pre-lock down. However, this is an improvement from June 2020 when they were waiting for £157,642. Of the work that is being done, building contractors are seeing the greatest demand from residential projects (48%) and public sector work (30%) such as roadworks and in schools. However, of those businesses seeing a partial slowdown in work, they pointed to the uncertain state of the economy which is delaying investment decisions. Construction industry business owner Jamie Herd, MD of Lords builders’ merchants commented: “We’ve seen sales of supplies increase steadily over the past 3 months and orders to the end of 2020 look good especially in London and the home counties. The government’s favourable loan schemes have boosted the cash flow of construction businesses to enable them continue their work and overall, there is a bullish mood that work is returning to normal in the industry”. Hussain Hilli, co-founder at Skrap commented: “Although building activity shrunk during the lockdown, this survey provides a cautious note of optimism for the construction industry. It’s not surprising this wave of optimism comes from residential work as people continue to work from home and consider their new needs. The decision to scrap stamp duty on homes below £500,000 has also got home owners active. Government policies are taking effect and builders are benefiting but a lot will rest on how investors see Brexit playing out on the UK economy”. 2020 expectations Boris Johnson’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ initiative is making a difference. Almost half of builders (46%) said they had benefited from the policy announcement and were expecting more contracts from this in the next few months. However, they do feel that investment in house building developments is being held back. This is chiefly down to investors being vary of valuations given the impact Brexit could have on the economy coupled with the lack of urgency from the government to support this crucial infrastructure need. Looking ahead to the end of the year, builders fear the biggest disruption to business will be a second wave of COVID19 cases leading to another mass lockdown impacting delivery and demand of projects. Brexit The majority of construction businesses are confident that there will be little fallout from a no-deal Brexit. They felt the Government would negotiate a good trade deal in time and it will be business as usual. However, they do feel the greatest concern in the run up to Brexit centres on workforce availability. This is understandable as up to a quarter (25%) of their workforce are non-UK nationals. Ends Notes to the editor * Research findings based on a survey of 2,000 UK construction companies (who are employers with a minimum turnover of £250,000) conducted in September 2020 by LM Research & Marketing Consultancy (Market Research Society approved partner and ESOMAR corporate member). About Skrap Founded in 2017, Skrap offers on-demand services for skip and construction hire resources. Every year almost 100m tonnes of construction waste is collected in the UK and construction businesses spend £5b in collecting this waste, and a further £15b on other hire services. Skrap intends to remove the hassle from ordering a skip and other construction hire needs to make this experience simple and user friendly. Skrap’s strategic ambition is to automate the entire construction hire supply chain across major cities globally over the coming years. Founders Marwan Field, Hussain Hilli and Ahmed Rao came across the problem while running a construction business where logistics were unorganised and fragmented; prices were asymmetric, and the marketplace of suppliers and brokers were doing everything manually. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 bilal@skrap.xyz Company Website https://www.skrap.xyz

October 06, 2020 03:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Brits spent over £2bn to replicate their coffee experience at home during lockdown

Stockwood Strategy

Keen not to miss out on their regular coffee fix whilst working from home during the lock down, Brits spent a whopping £2.15bn on coffee machines and products to replicate their regular coffee experience. Coffee roastery Volcano Coffee Works surveyed Brits on their coffee habits and sought their expectations of coffee companies for International Coffee Day. The survey* revealed more than four in 10 (42%) admitted to drinking more coffee since lockdown - with almost a quarter (23%) drinking four cups a day - equating to over 112m cups nationally every 24 hours. With these sorts of figures, it should not be a surprise that 82% of coffee drinkers felt that they rely on good coffee to set them up for a productive day of work. Emma Loisel , Co-Founder and Chair at Volcano Coffee Works commented: “We’re more in love with coffee than ever, with consumption up and millions investing in recreating their caffeine fix at home. Coupled with working longer hours from home, it seems we’ve never been more reliant on coffee. And interestingly, it’s great to see the trends for ethically sourced coffee and that companies showing they care about people and the environment are more important than ever when it comes to purchase decisions.” Coffee is big business, the UK’s annual caffeine bill is £14.9bn. However, the study reveals this set to accelerate further - driven by ethical coffee drinkers - with more than three in five (63%) people willing to pay more for coffee if it benefits coffee farmers, up 18% compared to 2019. Emma Loisel continued: “Coffee could be a bell weather of things to come. Consumers are making themselves very clear, they want more from brands than just great products. 85% told us they expect the companies they buy products from to behave sustainably and ethically towards the environment and people.” “Perhaps this is one of the greatest silver linings from the lockdown, consumers have found their voice and if they continue to hold companies to account, they will drive change, faster than any government” added Emma Loisel . ENDS Notes to the Editor * Research based on a survey of 2,000 British people between 25th and 28th September 2020. Survey conducted by consumer research agency YourSay. About Volcano Coffee Works Volcano Coffee Works, founded in 2010, is an ethical and carbon neutral coffee roastery. They bring people great tasting coffees, whilst supporting the livelihoods of small hold farmers who grow their coffees. Their coffee is consumed in hotels, restaurants, cafes, and offices across the UK and Paris. Consumers can also buy coffee direct from their website. A team of 30 passionate people produce over 4,000 kgs of coffee every week, an average of 850,000 cups of Volcano Coffee Works delicious coffee is consumed each month. The business was founded on the belief that coffee can be a force for good. It all started with a coffee cart on the streets of West Norwood, now they have a state-of-the-art roastery in Brixton, where Volcano Coffee Works produces great tasting coffee that has a real and positive impact. Their ethical trading principles ensure that the entire supply chain and beyond benefits. They pay fair prices, committing to buy their farmer’s coffees on long term contracts, giving them security of income so they can invest in their farms and families. They support local community initiatives and are the Crisis Homeless Charity’s coffee partner, enabling consumers everywhere to support Crisis by buying Crisis Coffee here . Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@marketfinance.com Company Website https://volcanocoffeeworks.com/

October 06, 2020 03:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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PBM INDUSTRY REGULATION TO BE ARGUED BY SUPREME COURT

Alliance for Transparent & Affordable Prescriptions

As policy makers in Washington, DC debate the next appointee to the United States Supreme Court, patient advocate groups are optimistic existing Justices and the nominee will support rights of states to impose regulations on the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) industry. The case, Rutledge v. the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association , will argued before the Supreme Court on October 6, 2020. The Alliance for Transparent and Affordable Prescriptions (ATAP), a coalition of patient and provider groups concerned about the role PBMs play in the rising cost of drugs and reduced patient access to affordable treatment, filed an Amicus Brief with the United States Supreme Court in an effort to support the rights of states to impose regulations on the PBM industry. ATAP’s Amicus Brief argues in part that PBMs are engaged in abusive practices with serious practical and policy consequences – including upward pressure on prescription drug pricing. “The relationship that really matters is the doctor-patient relationship, not the relationship with the middlemen” stated Dr. Robert Levin, ATAP’s President. “Every day, we witness first-hand how the PBM industry drives up costs and interferes with patient access to the medications they need. Doctors, patients, and legislators are saying ‘enough is enough’ and are fighting back. We welcome the opportunity to lend our voice and arguments on behalf of patients as the Supreme Court weighs in on regulating this industry.” The debate over the PBM industry is gaining traction in Washington as additional regulations are proposed, and even Presidential Executive Orders crafted in part to reign in PBM activity in the prescription drug marketplace. “PBMs construct formularies and utilization management tools not based on science but on profit, often leading to higher drug prices,” Dr. Madeline Feldman of the Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations (an ATAP member organization) stated. “The Supreme Court should agree to allow states to protect ALL patients from the machinations of PBMs – whose only fiduciary responsibility is to shareholders. Perhaps if the federal government demanded transparency and regulated PBMs appropriately, the states wouldn’t have to step up to do the job.” "Countless healthcare stakeholders have waited eagerly for this day to come and will be closely watching the proceedings since this is the first case involving a PBM before the United States Supreme Court," stated Kathleen A. Arntsen, President & CEO of Lupus and Allied Diseases Association (an ATAP member organization). "As a patient-led organization who represents people that deal with serious health conditions on a daily basis, we have firsthand experience with the frustration in struggling to access affordable and appropriate treatments due to the existence of the unnecessary middleman industry. We are thrilled that the Justices will finally weigh in on these momentous issues and hopeful that they will stand with patients and rule in favor of fair drug pricing." In an earlier statement on the matter, the plaintiff, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge stated, “Our fight to protect Arkansans’ access to affordable prescription drugs will finally have its day before the Supreme Court. With arguments to be aired live, Americans will hear how we are protecting local pharmacists who play the vital role as frontline healthcare providers in rural Arkansas and across the country every day and particularly during this pandemic.” ATAP has been an active advocate for patients in a variety of federal and state battles to amplify the voices of patients and physicians. ### For more information, or to schedule an interview with an ATAP spokesperson please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357. ATAP's mission is to address prescription drugs costs and patient access to affordable treatment by regulating PBM practices and reforming the drug industry through educational outreach and grassroots advocacy initiatives at both the state and federal level. Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 daniel.rene@kglobal.com Company Website http://www.atapadvocates.com

October 05, 2020 05:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Convey Services Launches Virtual Event Platform Exclusively for Sales & Annual Conferences

Convey Services

Convey Services , a SaaS solutions company, today expanded its Cloud Conventions product line by launching Cloud Kickoffs™ , an online portal solution exclusively for sales and annual conference management. Cloud Kickoffs brings elements of a live sales kickoff or conference into a virtual environment to promote engagement, make connections and support team interaction. It’s content-rich experience maximizes the effectiveness of virtual events for yearend or sales kickoff programs. “Canceling live annual meetings or sales kickoffs has become a reality, but it doesn’t mean that those events can’t be effectively executed virtually,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Convey. “In many ways you can achieve better, more focused results without the time and expense of bringing everyone together physically. Using Cloud Kickoffs, the management team can align the organization around a common strategy, allow remote teams to foster relationships and at the same time deliver and reinforce critical training. Cloud Kickoffs helps you deliver the tools needed to succeed and provides access to training and content long after the live event is over.” Cloud Kickoffs manages live and on-demand education, brings teams together for forum and roundtable discussions, promotes one-on-one connections and offers a platform for networking and social interaction. After a Cloud Kickoffs event is over, the portal can retain its structure, extend the life of content and training and easily be repurposed for virtual sales events throughout the year. A virtual kickoff event can be fully managed by Convey or by your sales or marketing team. “Sales staff or association members look forward to annual conferences because they value the insights, connections and opportunity to walk away energized with a clear focus for the coming year,” added Bradfield. “Cloud Kickoffs provides an efficient solution to bring teams together virtually, saving tens of thousands on logistics planning, travel and entertainment.” Cloud Kickoffs comes complete with templates for branding, delivering email messaging, creating attendee dashboards, setting-up live and virtual sessions and gamification while always tracking attendee engagement. It’s designed for the non-technical user and doesn’t require any coding or development. Participating partners and sponsors can have virtual booths that remain intact or can be refreshed for future events. Each portal has online training and a support database to answer frequently asked questions. Sales and event managers can experience Cloud Kickoffs by visiting https://cloudkickoffs.com or explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com . About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions is a Virtual Trade Show and Conference Platform from Convey Services that brings new capabilities to a marketplace looking for solutions to replace the thousands of live trade shows, annual conferences and association meetings cancelled in the wake of COVID-19. Originally launched as ConveyLive, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, attendee registration, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

October 01, 2020 11:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Homegrown: UK premium CBD brand, Infused Amphora launches

Infused Amphora

British premium CBD wellness brand Infused Amphora launches today. Their product range includes a variety of vape cartridges designed to address and capture the needs and moods of society. Everything from tackling anxiety, muscular aches and stress to helping inspire, calm and focus minds. The cartridges were designed in collaboration with Vessel Brand, an industry leading California-based vape hardware company. The launch features four premium CBD-infused cartridges: INSPIRE : delivers an earthy and herbal vibe with lilac undertones, and a lemon-pepper nose. Allowing you to brainstorm, be unique, think differently or create a masterpiece. PEACE : combines a sweet woody flavour with a tickle of green peppercorn and a clean grapefruit finish. You will feel the embrace of a warm hug that removes the edge off stress. MEND : allows you to slip into a relaxing bath of sweet stone fruits, savoury herbs and a pine finish. Find relief from tension and release muscular aches and pains. ZZZ : offers the sensation of walking through a forest after the rain. Like the perfect cup of tea to be taken at bedtime - hints of juniper and lemon. Infused Amphora’s CBD products enhance health, wellness and help achieve personal lifestyle goals through their pesticide-free, non-intoxicating and THC-free CBD cartridges. All products contain two simple ingredients, 100% organic CBD distillate and plant-sourced terpenes. Products retail at £35 and are launching with a 20% discount at £28 each, for a limited time. All Infused Amphora products are rigorously third-party lab-tested* for content and purity. Angus Taylor, CEO of parent company, Infused Products International LTD, commented: “Infused Amphora is about creating an unmatched customer experience by offering easy to understand products that deliver a specific and predictable experience such as athletic recovery, sleep, inspiration, and tranquility. We are aiming to grow this international brand to 24 exciting products in 2021. We’re on track to build our own supply chain and will be able to quickly move high quality products to market that meet the needs of our customers. We will use the UK as a launch pad to expand and enter additional international markets, such as Brazil and India, next year”. On the partnership with Vessel Brand, Angus Taylor added: “As Infused Amphora thoughtfully considered its entry into the UK market, we intentionally sought out the best-in-class market partner, Vessel Brand, a company with complimentary visions of supporting mental and physical health through an exceptional customer journey. Premium CBD is at the core of our customer experience, it’s a crucial step of many that also includes third-party testing to guarantee compliance, education, premium hardware technology and unparalleled customer service.” James Choe, CEO and Co-Founder Vessel Brand, Inc. commented: "We are honoured to partner with Infused Amphora because of their dedication to quality product and their willingness to challenge the industry status quo by designing a better experience for every customer. We’re seeing countless CBD-related brands hitting the market but majority of them are battling for the customer’s attention with the same commodity offering, or in some cases, a step up with fancy packaging. “The customer experience needs to push well beyond this. ‘Premium’ in our eyes, has little to do with a price point and everything to do with delivering on a brand promise - the customer experience doesn’t end at the point of quality consumable product, that is just the beginning. The thoughtfulness to extend the experience to the battery that powers your oil, the control you have over your consumption, the way you charge and store your oil, and how you feel when you interact with their support team - that is what makes their offering compelling and that shared philosophy is what makes our partnership so strong” added James Choe . * Each product comes with a Certificate of Analysis from an accredited testing lab. Notes to the Editor For further information please contact the Amphora press office: Bilal Mahmood on b.mahmood@marketfinance.com or +44 (0) 20 3640 7759 and +44 (0) 771 400 7257. About Infused Amphora Infused Amphora is a premium CBD wellness brand formulated in the UK. It is owned by Infused Products International LTD, a global health-and-wellness product business. Infused Amphora is dedicated to providing all-natural, symptom-targeting and high-quality CBD products. Elevating users on their wellness journeys, each product is designed with a specific purpose, whether it’s sparking creativity, relieving stress, calming their thoughts before bed, or soothing muscle aches & pains. With only two simple ingredients (CBD distillate sourced from 100% organically grown hemp and plant-based terpenes to supply that beneficial entourage effect) we keep our customer’s health as our top priority. All of our products have zero harmful additives & solvents, are nicotine-free, pesticide-free, and THC-free to ensure no intoxicating effects, just pure bliss in every breath. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@marketfinance.com Company Website https://www.infusedamphora.com/

September 30, 2020 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Aspira Women’s Health has Emerged as a Global Leader for Innovations in Ovarian Cancer Risk Assessment Starting with OVA1®plus, OVANex™, OVAInherit™ and ASPiRA GenetiX℠

Aspira Women's Health Inc.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer¹, impacting women of all ages and ethnicities. Early warning signs, such as bloating, weight loss and constipation, are vague, difficult to recognize and usually go undetected². As a result, most ovarian cancer is diagnosed in its late stages, leading to a five-year survival rate of less than 30%³. Aspira Women’s Health Inc. ("Aspira") (Nasdaq: AWH) is evolving and accelerating risk detection solutions for this lethal disease using multi-marker proteins and state-of-the-art genetics panels. The company’s core mission is to transform women's health, globally, starting with ovarian cancer. We aim to ensure that women of all ages, stages and ethnicities have the best solutions available to assess their personalized risk of cancer at the earliest stage when it matters most. Our end goal is to serve a large global pelvic mass population and overall women’s health sector with a platform coupled with proprietary science and data tools which will drive better health and wellbeing for each patient we serve. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIaBYDFxQg0 “We are focused on accelerating our research and delivering these potential lifesaving tools to women. We offer FDA-cleared, ACOG guideline-endorsed protein solutions coupled with comprehensive genetic testing panels for all known hereditary gynecological cancer risk. Each product serves to increase a woman’s awareness of her risk and to provide more opportunities for early detection," stated Valerie Palmieri, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aspira. "Also beyond ovarian cancer, we are beginning to tackle other gynecological diseases with risk management and early detection solutions. Many gynecological diseases are connected from a proteomic and genetic perspective, and we are leading the charge. Ovarian cancer is the only gender specific cancer with a greater than 50% mortality rate³. Aspira offers testing to assess genetic risk, which can change care and surveillance for high-risk women. In patients with pelvic masses, OVA1plus has been shown to be able to detect ovarian cancer at its earliest stages, where survival rate for Stage 1 and 2 ovarian cancer is 70-90%³. “OVA1plus is my go-to test as soon as I see an ovarian mass, especially since everyone is so scared of cancers and missing cancers. It just gives you a lot of confidence in diagnosis and treatment of patients,” says Kathy Anderson, MD an obstetrician-gynecologist in Costa Mesa, California. In addition to early detection of ovarian cancer, Aspira works to lessen the disparity in ovarian cancer detection that exists among different ethnicities. It has been documented that Black women have a lower expression of [the CA-125 protein], which means that using CA-125 for risk assessment will disadvantage these women⁴. OVA1plus improves the detection of the risk of ovarian cancer in Black women because of its superior sensitivity and its multi-biomarker algorithm which measures changes in nutrition and inflammation which are not ethnicity specific. In summary, Aspira provides peace of mind to both physicians and patients by increasing the ability to detect ovarian cancer at its earliest stages or, conversely, providing high negative predictive value, as most pelvic masses are benign. We are dedicated to supporting women of all ages and ethnicities, and at all stages of ovarian cancer, as we strive to detect ovarian cancer risk as early as possible. We “Aspire” women to take control of their gynecologic health and “Empower” providers to deliver optimal care. Media Contact: Jaime Abrusci RX Medical Dynamics Tel 646-599-8606 jabrusci@rxmedyn.com References “Ovarian Cancer Statistics.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 June 2020, www.cdc.gov/cancer/ovarian/statistics/index.htm . Tanne, Janice Hopkins. “US Cancer Groups Highlight Symptoms of Early Ovarian Cancer.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) , BMJ Publishing Group Ltd., 23 June 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1895679/ . “Cancer of the Ovary - Cancer Stat Facts.” SEER, seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/ovary.html Dunton, Charles, et al. “Ethnic Disparity in Clinical Performance between Multivariate Index Assay and CA125 in Detection of Ovarian Malignancy.” Future Oncology , 9 Aug. 2019, www.futuremedicine.com/doi/10.2217/fon-2019-0310 . About Aspira Women’s Health Inc. Aspira Women’s Health Inc. (formerly known as Vermillion, Inc. Nasdaq: VRML) has transformed women’s health with the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative testing options and bio-analytical solutions that help physicians assess risk, optimize patient management and improve gynecologic health outcomes for women. OVA1®plus combines our FDA-cleared products OVA1® and OVERA® to detect the risk of ovarian malignancy in women with adnexal masses. ASPiRA GenetiXSM testing offers both targeted and a more comprehensive genetic testing options with a gynecologic focus. Our focus is on delivering products that allow healthcare providers to stratify risk, facilitate early detection, and optimize treatment. Visit our website for more information about our products at www.aspirawh.com. Contact Details Emily Granger +1 508-341-9331 egranger@aspirawh.com Company Website https://aspirawh.com/

September 28, 2020 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

US companies spending billions each month to return staff back to work

Huma

Getting businesses back up and running and employees back to work is critical to the US economic recovery. However, there’s confusion between employers and anxiety for workers returning to work. Digital health and therapeutics company Huma asked 5,000 US employees and 2,000 US employers about their views on returning to work. Only one in five businesses feel suitably informed on the specific policies/procedures they need to ensure a safe working environment for their employees. Yet employers are spending loads of money to reopen workplaces safely. Employers estimate that they will spend $3.4 billion per month overall, and $61.23 per employee each month to ensure employee health and safety. Nearly 9 in 10 employers (86%) have instituted new hygiene protocols, updated workplace layouts, and have a smaller workforce. While employers are readying the workplace, they have not planned for managing COVID-19 cases. Few employers have made accommodations for managing COVID-19 exposure. Only one-fifth of employers have updated sick leave policies (22%) or communications policies for exposure (19%). Economic realities are scaring employees more than health and safety risks Shockingly, two-thirds of employees believe their health and safety could be compromised in the workplace. Despite these fears, most employees are eager to get back to work, with over half of workers (52%) ready to get back to work today. Of those employees who have already returned to their workplace, only one in four (27%) employees are confident in the measures in place to ensure their safety and wellbeing. What’s driving employees’ concerns are interactions with other people, with respondents citing their co-workers’ hygiene (17%) and commuters (25%) as two of the three factors they were worried about, along with the workplace environment (21%). What causes the greatest fear for nearly three-quarters (72%) of employees is their coworker’s hygiene, which they rank as the single most significant factor in COVID-19 transmission at the workplace. Managing employee health for a safe workplace Employers have invested in the physical workplace, but have not put systems in place to manage employee health and COVID-19 case communications to ensure safer workplaces. Overwhelmingly, two-thirds (67%) of employees would be willing to do a daily symptom check-in with their employers, and the majority (75%) would be comfortable with employers tracking their symptoms. Moreover, nine in ten businesses (87%) are comfortable monitoring their employees' symptoms. This research shows that there’s a willingness on both sides to manage employee health, yet few are doing so. Dan Vahdat, founder and CEO of Huma, commented : “What this research identifies are the concerns of employers and employees in managing health and safety at the workplace during the COVID-19 era. Employers are spending millions to create a safe work environment, but not on solutions to manage employee health.” “Employers need new solutions and guidance on how to manage their health and wellbeing of their employees and provide assurance that they are prepared for COVID-19. Without new solutions to help manage workplace safety, businesses and the economy are going to take longer to recover.” Digital health and therapeutics company Huma is helping businesses and employees return to work safely. Huma Health Shield gives employees an easy-to-use mobile app to confidentially self-report their symptoms, track vital signs, and see their exposure risk. Employers have access to a secure web-based portal to see their workforce’s overall health while still protecting employee privacy. Ends Notes the editor Research findings based on a survey of 5,000 US employees and 2,000 US companies conducted in September 2020. About Huma Huma partners with scientists, technologists, and healthcare professionals to understand, treat, and ultimately prevent ill health. Giving knowledge and power to those with medical conditions, while saving clinicians time, energy, and valuable resources. Because, by collectively benefiting from the data we individually generate, we can all live our longest, fullest lives. www.huma.com Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 bilal.mahmood@huma.com Company Website https://huma.com/

September 16, 2020 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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